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In my role of Cyberangels'
Executive Director I give several interviews to journalists and tv and
radio reporters every day from around the world. On last Wednesday a
journalist from the Wall Street Journal called me asking for our reaction
to certain Littleton, Colorado tragedy Internet-related matters. (To read
our page about the Internet-issues involved and the article in question, click
here.)For the first time ever, I was asked a question I couldn't
answer with a soundbyte.
Tom asked me whether
ferreting out teenagers' sites which threaten violence was law
enforcement's job, or that of the school or Internet access providers, or
something Cyberangels should be doing? He had assumed that it was
someone's responsibility to do something affirmative to find and report
these sites.
We talked about free speech
and how the Internet brings out the fantasy writer in each of us. How if
we reacted to threats people communicate online, either in websites or
chats, half the Internet community would be in jail. The article was well
written. Tom understood why I thought no one should be scouring the
Internet seeking out these sites. He understood the issues, and
articulated them better than most other journalists would have been able
to.
As pleased as we were with
the article and how well Tom had explained the issues, something was
bothering me. If Cyberangels said it can't help in this situation, who
can? Were we turning our backs on our responsibility to help others in
need online? Was there a way to balance privacy and free speech with
spotting troubled kids who were speaking out in advance of acting out
their violence against themselves or others?
We could play it
safe, and ignore the issue. We could continue to speak about open Internet
speech and the fact that this is a problem to be resolved by parents and
the school. But, Cyberangels isn't Cyberangels for playing it safe. Before
it was fashionable we spoke out against pedophile groups online. Before
most others, we were searching for cybercrimes, and working with law
enforcement to put criminals behind bars. Before others we spotted the
dangers of cyberstalking and provided help for victims and tracked the
stalkers. But, we can't rest on our laurels. We have to use our vast
experience with the Internet and people in trouble online and use it to
help avoid another tragedy, such as Jonesboro or Littleton.
That's how the idea
for KIDReportline evolved. We needed to do something.
We will take tips
only from classmates of the students whose sites are being reported.
Adults, whether teachers or parents, can report their suspicions to the
school, family members or law enforcement authorities. Classmates often
have no place to turn. They are afraid of reporting anything to the
school. They may fear reprisals, or be embarrassed to "tell."
But classmates are often the only ones who can fully appreciate the risks
posed by some of their classmates. They are also usually the only ones who
know of fellow classmates' websites.
We will take tips
only about students' websites. If the student is threatening violence
using another media, we will refer the classmate sending us the tip to
report it to their school or elsewhere. Having the violence or threats
communicated online allows us to evaluate those sites directly. Our
expertise is Internet-related. Other situations will have to be handled by
other advocacy groups. We can only handle Internet-related risks.
The tips will be
handled directly by me. To protect the privacy of the classmates making
the reports, the reports will be sent by email to me, as Cyberangels'
Executive Director. No database or data collection mechanism will be used
by Cyberangels. To the extent permitted by law, I will keep the identity
of the reporting party confidential. Sometimes we expect that the
reporting classmate will just need someone to listen to their fears. We
will try to be that someone.
We will use the
least intrusive measures we believe are advisable. When someone sends us a
site which communicates what we think is a credible threat of violence to
the student who composed the site, or to others, we will report it to
either the school or law enforcement. Sometimes, if we think it is
advisable, we will reach out to the student who composed the site himself,
offering help. This is the only way we can see to balance the free speech
concerns with our desire to help avoid another tragedy because no one
listened to the threats. More than anything else, we hope to be a place
where you can find someone to listen to your fears and problems.
We hope that by
using Cyberangels' website's popularity to communicate this service, and
by using our extensive experience with Internet speech and communities
online, that we can provide a place that will help, without using Gestapo
tactics. We will not seek out any sites, and will respond only to credible
reports sent by classmates of Internet sites. It's our way of doing more
than talking.
I am interested in
hearing your thoughts, and any suggestions for providing help to others in
need.
Parry Aftab, Esq.
Executive Director,
Cyberangels
See
Reuter's Report
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